Featured Interview With Heather Osborne
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in California, but in 2009, I moved to Scotland when I met my husband online. We have a young son, Alex, a cat, Noodle, and two fish, charmingly named “Little One” and “Gangnam Style” (can you see my son’s influence here?). Outside of writing, I spend a great deal of my time at the local community theatre, as well as volunteering with Victim Support Scotland. I have a Bachelor of Science degree from California State University, Fresno, in criminology and victimology.
My genre of choice has always been romance, but my stories take on many sub-genres. I like to test my abilities, using my love and knowledge of history and criminology in my writings. I pride myself on accuracy, and will take the time to research my stories, making sure the locations and facts are as close to reality as possible.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have been reading as long as I can remember. I owe that to my mother, who encouraged my brother and I to read from an early age. I still recall fondly sitting up each night as my mom read aloud to us, begging for just one more chapter. I would read several books at once, keeping track of all the individual plots with ease. This is a skill I still utilize today.
I began writing silly short stories with my brother, but I moved on to my own stories as I grew older. I’ve written several plays, and even had one of my plays performed by a local reading theatre. I began publishing in December, 2013, with a short story entitled “Crossing Paths,” and I’ve never looked back!
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I don’t think I have one favorite author. I admire many of the early historical romance authors, such as Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, Bertrice Small, and Virginia Henley. I also love Nora Roberts’ ability to weave beautiful stories around romance. I love Anne Rice and her descriptive works. Reading her books pushes me to new heights in how I convey scenes to a reader. I suppose these women are my inspirations as well.
Before I began publishing, you could say my favorite genre was historical romance/fiction. Since publishing, I’ve made connections with so many authors across the genres, and I’ve opened up my horizons to new books. I’ve found some amazing authors in fantasy, science fiction, young adult, and everything in between.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is a historical romance entitled, “The Soldier’s Secret.” My father inspired in me a love of history, and I wanted to bring that to a piece of literature. Taking place during the American Civil War, my heroine, Emma Mansfield, finds herself in a difficult position. Both her brothers are missing in action, and she cannot stand idly by and wait for news of their return. Donning the guise of a young artillery soldier, she joins the Union Army with hopes of finding her brothers and bringing them home.
This book was so fascinating to write. I had to make sure I recorded the battle history properly, as well as conducting exhaustive research on women who fought during the Civil War. In all, the novel took me approximately nine months to write, amongst other projects. It sparked several blog entries to further my readers’ curiosity about these brave women who took up arms.
Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles